In all seriousness (yeah, right, you say), it is time to announce our top albums of 2017. "What's an album?" says anyone under the age of 13. Tell them it's something a musician creates as a body of work that actually took some thought to construct and generally means something. We love a good single as much as the next person, but albums are where it's at, so here ya go:
1) LCD SOUNDSYSTEM--American Dream
James Murphy took some time off and came back with our favorite record of the year. The break did him good, and while he's never been the greatest singer in the world, what he lacks vocally he makes up for in the delivery, and the musical palette. There are so many touchstones on this record (Talking Heads and Bowie being the most obvious), but there is also a beating heart throughout the album's entirety, and there is nary a dull or wasted moment. Even the final track, a ten minute pulse with Eno-esque piano flourishes is somehow captivating in its intimacy and lack of movement. Welcome back LCD, and we hope it's not your last this time. No idle threats now...
2) BJORK--Utopia
Bjork is odd. Always has been, always will be. Accept it. Her last album, 2015's Vulnicura, (our number eight record that year) was all about breaking up. Utopia is all about finding love again. While Bjork's appeal dipped a bit during the Volta and Biophilia era, these two most recent records find her plowing new paths and returning to more melodic territories, even if the music is rather beatless in the regular sense. The expansive nature of Arca's soundscapes lends itself quite well to Bjork's flights of fancy as she knows where to reign him in to create something a bit more direct than his solo work, and while the album can meander a bit at 70 minutes, the lyrics are always intriguing, with the textures and melodies are some of the most intimate and beautiful she has ever created, including the delicate parts of Vespertine. Think of it as that album part two, with more sounds of nature and loads of flute!
3) FATHER JOHN MISTY--Pure Comedy
I'm not sure what I can say about this album that hasn't already been said, but Josh Tillman and friends created a meaningful treatise on the downtrodden average Joe in modern America that seems to mix a gift for melody akin to Elton John's more substantial work with lyrics that dig at the heart of the hopelessness felt across the heartland as big business sucks the country dry. There may be no more poignant and timely album on this list.
4) THE HORRORS--V
Since their sophomore album, the Horrors have continued to shock and inspire with each passing album, showing a path of staggering growth and a willingness to try new things that still fit snugly within their aesthetic. V, their fifth album, is full of hooky choruses, gothic tinged vocals, beats reminiscent of Screamadelica-era Primal Scream, brilliant production courtesy of Paul Epworth (Adele's 21) with sharp bursts of color at unexpected moments, and songs that can stand the test of time (closing track and single "Something to Remember me by" being a perfect illustration, and somewhat indebted to New Order). They keep moving, and we keep following.
5) SLOWDIVE--Slowdive
After 22 years away, the level of expectation had to be high. Basically the band delivered with an album that brings out so many of the great elements that made the first three Slowdive albums classics decades ago. This one was a reunion done right, and an album that takes its place among their previous work without being the least bit embarrassing. Congratulations!
6) THE XX--I See You
While the XX had been gone for a while, they did some growing and came back better than ever. The obvious influence of Jamie XX's beatmaking from his recent solo album has translated nicely here to the band's songs without getting in the way. In fact, his skills enhance them. There are some truly touching songs here about dealing with loss, insecurity, and addiction, yet there is such an element of hope and optimism among the gloom, and with the added improvement of singing ability, the XX have a rather bright future ahead of them.
7) MORRISSEY--Low in High School
Moz returns with another great record, albeit one laden with references to the current political climate and sex sex sex. Is this his sexiest record ever? Probably. It also features some of his best singing ever, and he is in fine form. Some may be a little put off by detours into darker and slower territory, or tangos for that matter, but the band is incredibly tight and talented, and Morrissey never fails to put on a show (except when he fails to show up). Don't be too quick to judge this record...It benefits from repeated plays, and one hopes Morrissey will continue to make albums regardless of how the press treat him. His music is far and above most of the music being written today.
8) DESTROYER--Ken
Dan Bejar's latest Destroyer project takes a turn toward the sound of the fantastic previous album Kaputt, albeit with less saxophone. The difference is the brevity of many of the songs, and their construction being a bit less dreamy and more direct, as they were channelling early-80's Cure and New Order records sonically. It makes for one of the most direct albums in Bejar's obtuse canon, and at 40 minutes, is fairly easy to listen to again and again. What his lyrics actually mean, however, is anyone's guess, and that's part of the charm.
Dan Bejar's latest Destroyer project takes a turn toward the sound of the fantastic previous album Kaputt, albeit with less saxophone. The difference is the brevity of many of the songs, and their construction being a bit less dreamy and more direct, as they were channelling early-80's Cure and New Order records sonically. It makes for one of the most direct albums in Bejar's obtuse canon, and at 40 minutes, is fairly easy to listen to again and again. What his lyrics actually mean, however, is anyone's guess, and that's part of the charm.
9) ALEX CAMERON--Forced Witness
The album where 80's Springsteen and Ween meet, Alex Cameron is a one-of-a-kind singer-songwriter who here mixes chest-beating Americana with some of the most offbeat self-depricating humor. Previously, this Australian channeled a bit of Nick Cave and Tom Waits on his previous album debut, Jumping the Shark. Here we are a few years later, and he's duetting with the Killers' Brandon Flowers and indie-darling Angel Olsen and playing alongside newcomers Kirin Callinan and Jack Ladder with an album full of some of the best lyrics you'll hear this year. Case in point, his 70's lounge-track "The Chihuahua": "Our love was like a fire, I pissed on it so I could sleep."
10) FLEET FOXES--Crack-Up
This one was a real head-scratcher on first listen until leader Robin Pecknold told us he was trying to make a film through music, one that is disjointed and may flip around, telling things out of order until they come into focus (sort of like an episode of This is Us). Proving the Harvard graduate deserves his recent title, this album has all the warmth of a Fleet Foxes record with added depth courtesy of these newly deployed storytelling techniques. An album to remember.
This one was a real head-scratcher on first listen until leader Robin Pecknold told us he was trying to make a film through music, one that is disjointed and may flip around, telling things out of order until they come into focus (sort of like an episode of This is Us). Proving the Harvard graduate deserves his recent title, this album has all the warmth of a Fleet Foxes record with added depth courtesy of these newly deployed storytelling techniques. An album to remember.
11) SPOON--Hot Thoughts
The fact that a band can be together for twenty years and still come up with fresh and new ways to play music is astonishing. Spoon continue their hot streak with this very uptempo record, probably the grooviest of their career. That's not to say, however, that there's not a darker side brewing in its underbelly. There's plenty of disembodied saxophone wailing just to remind you of that.
The fact that a band can be together for twenty years and still come up with fresh and new ways to play music is astonishing. Spoon continue their hot streak with this very uptempo record, probably the grooviest of their career. That's not to say, however, that there's not a darker side brewing in its underbelly. There's plenty of disembodied saxophone wailing just to remind you of that.
12) MAGNETIC FIELDS--50 Song Memoir
Stephen Merritt took the challenge of writing a fifty song album seriously, and it actually holds together remarkably well. The most riveting of these songs concern Stephen's young life, being tossed around by a loving but scattered mother and her terrible choices in men (along with a cat that apparently didn't like him), while the later songs about romantic relationships seem somehow a little less revealing. Still, a massive undertaking with numerous highs.
Stephen Merritt took the challenge of writing a fifty song album seriously, and it actually holds together remarkably well. The most riveting of these songs concern Stephen's young life, being tossed around by a loving but scattered mother and her terrible choices in men (along with a cat that apparently didn't like him), while the later songs about romantic relationships seem somehow a little less revealing. Still, a massive undertaking with numerous highs.
13) JENS LEKMAN--Life Will See You Now
Oh Jens, when will you get some respect? This Swedish singer-songwriter seems to keep plugging along without a lot of accolades, yet he writes some of the most humorously charming tunes, many based on real life experiences and feelings. His somewhat broken English only adds to the charm, and this is actually his most upbeat and polished album to date. Don't let the cover that looks like it was drawn by a nine year old fool you...There are some sweet and alternately haunting moments here. Who else would write a song about a 3D printer representation of a tumor that was taken out of a good friend as a conversation piece? Think about that for a minute.
14) LANA DEL REY--Lust for Life
Lana continues to plumb the depths of faded Hollywood glamour and lost innocence, yet Lust for Life is the first time we hear optimism in her music. There is also sometimes a sense of happiness and less gloom. Maybe a tad overlong and heavy on features (The Weeknd, Stevie Nicks, assorted rappers), this is her most endearing record since the first. It begs the question as to what she'll do next time, as she's explored this character now about as much as one could.
15) GOLDFRAPP--Silver Eye
Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory have been making music together as Goldfrapp for nearly twenty years now. Silver Eye was a sort of amalgamation of all of their sounds on one record, with the glammy and biting electronica, the woozy and haunted film music, and a tinge of the psychedelic. It's a heady brew that rewards on repeated listens, and features some stunning photography by Alison herself. Like Beck, they're a band that you might not ever know what's coming musically, but it doesn't matter because their personalities are what come through every time.
16) SAINT ETIENNE--Home Counties
Home Counties finds Saint Etienne moving in a more intimate and stripped back direction from their past two rather brilliant albums, Tales from Turnpike House and Words and Music. Rather than being about a suburban towerblock or the art of writing music, this one deals with the suburban areas around London and the different types of characters who inhabit them. Sarah Cracknell is in fine vocal form, and the music is generally rather light and airy, although there are moments of menace, such as the song "Heather". The best UK pop group most Americans have never heard of with 25 years of music behind them already.
17) WAR ON DRUGS--Deeper Understanding
What can one say about War on Drugs that has not been said already? This is another fantastic record as they continue to grow and evolve into what might one day be a massively popular artist. If you like Springsteen at his ballad-y best, this should foot the bill, although there are so many more influences than that. Perfect for driving to as well.
![Melodrama [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51gZ-n41nIL._SS500.jpg)
18) LORDE--Melodrama
Lorde took a big chance on her sophomore record, waiting years to release it, and having it met with the lack of a huge hit single like "Royals" (although "Green Light" and its video are amazing), radio seemed to lose interest. And yet, her concerts were very well attended and successful. There is still a chance for this album to find a wider audience, but its very personal nature and general stripped back vibe might make for an album that people respect but don't necessarily love. In any event, it's quite good and deserves more attention.
19) SPARKS--Hippopotamus
Fresh from their Franz Ferdinand collaboration FFS, Sparks go it alone once more with Hippopotamus, one of their best efforts ever. Since their first album nearly 45 years ago, Ron and Russell Mael have been glam rockers, electro geeks, new wave nerds, and classical anarchists. Hippopotamus attempts to bring all of that together in one stew, and for all intents and purposes, it works. If you like catchy songs with a heavy dose of wry humor, this is your band. If you're interested in them, this is actually a good place to start, as they have almost 20 albums to date, and it may be hard to know where to begin.
20) LIAM GALLAGHER--As You Were
It's hard to say exactly where to place this record, because while it is generally enjoyable and probably the best thing Liam Gallagher has done since Oasis' break-up, it is also VERY Oasis-y and self-referential. Noel Gallagher (his brother) also released a very good album about a month later. One can only imagine what their album would have sounded like together (You could always try mixing up the tracks from both to find out), but for us, Liam's album has a slight edge simply by the fact that the tunes are more easily planted in your head, but they are both quite good. No reunion on the horizon though...
![Masseduction [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41on99Y3BzL._SS500.jpg)
21) ST VINCENT--Masseduction
Annie Clark continues to spread her wings as St Vincent, and while this album is a bit all over the place, it also contains some of her most direct and endearing moments on record. It seems as though she's been through a lot emotionally and is channeling a lot of her influences through an ever-expanding electronic sonic palette, alternately using string sections, piano, or fuzzed out guitar textures for contrast. Jack Antonoff (Bleachers) contributed to production duties, and you'll find his hand in many other 2017 albums (like Lorde and Katy Perry's latest).
22) AIMEE MANN--Mental Illness
Aimee Mann has been quietly making records for thirty years, with her biggest splashes being her debut as the lead singer of Til Tuesday with "Voices Carry" and the haunting songwriter who inspired Paul Thomas Anderson's film Magnolia (1999). Mental Illness is Aimee's best album in about a decade, full of some of her most introspective tunes and intimate arrangements from any of her recordings to date, and while some of the songs are pretty, they all have a sense of pain and unease within (hence the album title). She's got melodies worthy of McCartney on display here.
23) CIGARETTES AFTER SEX--Cigarettes After Sex
Another great album and band you may never have heard of, Cigarettes After Sex released their album over the summer that was the perfect soundtrack to those quiet moments, playing like a retro soundtrack to a summer that saw the return of David Lynch's Twin Peaks TV show after a 25 year absence. The show was known for its references to fifties icons, whether a James Dean-like character or patent leather shoes, and this El Paso by way of New York band nails that retro futurism with their sexually ambiguous lead vocals and lyrics that are more than suggestive. There is a certain consistency here that makes one wonder what they'll do for an encore, but in the moment, this was about as perfect a romantic album we could get in an era of Tove Lo's "Disco Tits" (not gonna go there).
![DAMN. [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51jNytp9pxL._SS500.jpg)
24) KENDRICK LAMAR--DAMN.
Kendrick does it again with DAMN, an album that may sound super different than his high water mark, To Pimp a Butterfly, but it's the messages that are important, and in an era of racial unrest and Trump, the message here was loud and clear. There's a reason he is known as a voice of his generation, and DAMN was a good example of that.
25) BECK--Colors
It was two years from the time Beck released the first single from this album ("Dreams") and a year from the second ("Wow"), almost as if he was afraid to release this album or wasn't sure what his audience would make of it. Well, it's actually a rather enjoyable pop record. Granted, you're not going to find anything profound here, but he does a very good job of making an album that can sit snugly next to other pop found on the charts now, yet still retaining enough of his personality to carry it forward. Whether he's sending up Elliott Smith or the Police, Colors is an album that plays well and doesn't outstay its welcome. What next, Mr. Hansen?
26) OMD--The Punishment of Luxury
The brilliant OMD return with their third album since reuniting about a decade ago, and this one goes all in on their love of electronic music. Using their last album, English Electric (2013) as a launching pad, The Punishment of Luxury is even heavier on the synths and general homages to Kraftwerk, and features some very peppy tunes mixed with some rather experimental stuff as well. It's so great to see these guys working together again and still being restlessly creative, even if the sales aren't massive these days. An example for all of us not to give up.
27) PAUL HEATON & JACQUI ABBOTT--Crooked Calypso
Paul & Jacqui (of Beautiful South fame) got back together a few years ago and made an excellent comeback record worthy of their past work, and after a very good follow-up, they are back for a third time. This record goes a little deeper into religion and politics than their other recent efforts, and while the effect may be a tad polarizing, it really doesn't seem to bother them, especially when Paul continues to write such great tunes and lyric material. Heaton is another British national treasure who has gone a bit unsung next to artists such as Morrissey, and he deserves much higher praise (although they do sell a lot of records in their own country).
28) MARK EITZEL--Hey Mr. Ferryman
Mark Eitzel continues to forge a superb body of solo work on the outside of his former band, American Music Club. Hey Mr. Ferryman was actually produced by another legendary band member, Bernard Butler, the original guitarist from Suede, and he gives Mark a bit of a boost in production this time around, as well as some added guitar textures that never get in the way, but support Mark's artistry as a songwriter and singer. One of the best albums this year by someone who has been working for decades that people are generally unaware of. What does it take to get heard?
29) ALISON MOYET--Other
Other follows on Alison's other production with Guy Sigsworth (Frou Frou, Bjork) from 2013, The Minutes. Alison turned a big corner in partnering with Sigsworth, as he knows how to treat a big voice without letting it belt all the time. There are some very dark and tender (and even spoken word) moments on Other, which show Alison as much more of an artist and writer than people tend to give her credit for. These two recent albums will likely be viewed one day as her most impressive offers to date in a 36-year career which began as the singer of Yaz in 1981 ("Only You").
30) BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE--Hug of Thunder
This Canadian collective hadn't made an album in years, and who knew what they were capable of anymore after a couple albums of somewhat diminishing returns. Hug of Thunder is not only one of their best efforts to date, it returns them to the glory of being a musical act to be respected and revered. There are some truly great moments here, and even when featuring artists who have gone on to big careers outside the group (Emily Haines of Metric, Feist), their features are enjoyable and appropriate for the setting. A big win for this band.
OTHER GREAT ALBUMS OF 2017:
31) RYAN ADAMS--Prisoner
32) BLONDIE--Pollinator
33) HAIM--Something to Tell You
34) QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE--Villains
35) DEPECHE MODE--Spirit
36) FOXYGEN--Hang
37) NEW PORNOGRAPHERS--Whiteout Conditions
38) JESUS & MARY CHAIN--Damage & Joy
39) SUFJAN STEVENS--Planetarium
40) GORILLAZ--Humans
41) MARK LANEGAN--Gargoyle
42) BEACH FOSSILS--Somersault
43) BNQT--BNQT
44) JAPANDROIDS--Near to the Wild
45) ROGER WATERS--Is This the Life We Really Want?
46) PHOENIX--Ti Amo
47) CUT COPY--Haiku From Zero
48) COUSTEAUX--Cousteaux
49) KILLERS--Wonderful Wonderful
50) AFGHAN WHIGS--In Spades
And still more:
PERFUME GENIUS--No Shape
PAUL WELLER--Kind Revolution
LUCKY SOUL--Hard Lines
IRON & WINE--Beast Epic
SHOUT OUT LOUDS--Ease My Mind
DUTCH UNCLES--Big Balloon
ERASURE--World be Gone
THE SHINS--Heartworms
DAN AUERBACH--Waiting on a Song
FUTURE ISLANDS--Far Field
BRITISH SEA POWER--Let the Dancers Inherit the Party
MUNA--About U
RIDE--Weather Diaries
FEIST--Pleasure
LAURA MARLING--Semper Femina
ELBOW--Little Fictions
JARVIS COCKER & CHILLY GONZALES--Room 29
MENZINGERS--After the Party
PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART--Echo of Pleasure
NINE INCH NAILS--Add Violence EP
WIRE--Silver/Lead
KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD--Flying Microtonal Banana
PREATURES--Girlhood
NICK HEYWARD--Woodland Echoes
MARC ALMOND--Shadows & Reflections
CLIENTELE--Music for the Age of Miracles
HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR--Omnion
MOUNTAIN GOATS--Goths
RANDY NEWMAN--Dark Matter
SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS--Soul of a Woman
Thanks for reading and for supporting indie stores like ours!
Oh Jens, when will you get some respect? This Swedish singer-songwriter seems to keep plugging along without a lot of accolades, yet he writes some of the most humorously charming tunes, many based on real life experiences and feelings. His somewhat broken English only adds to the charm, and this is actually his most upbeat and polished album to date. Don't let the cover that looks like it was drawn by a nine year old fool you...There are some sweet and alternately haunting moments here. Who else would write a song about a 3D printer representation of a tumor that was taken out of a good friend as a conversation piece? Think about that for a minute.
14) LANA DEL REY--Lust for Life
Lana continues to plumb the depths of faded Hollywood glamour and lost innocence, yet Lust for Life is the first time we hear optimism in her music. There is also sometimes a sense of happiness and less gloom. Maybe a tad overlong and heavy on features (The Weeknd, Stevie Nicks, assorted rappers), this is her most endearing record since the first. It begs the question as to what she'll do next time, as she's explored this character now about as much as one could.
15) GOLDFRAPP--Silver Eye
Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory have been making music together as Goldfrapp for nearly twenty years now. Silver Eye was a sort of amalgamation of all of their sounds on one record, with the glammy and biting electronica, the woozy and haunted film music, and a tinge of the psychedelic. It's a heady brew that rewards on repeated listens, and features some stunning photography by Alison herself. Like Beck, they're a band that you might not ever know what's coming musically, but it doesn't matter because their personalities are what come through every time.
16) SAINT ETIENNE--Home Counties
Home Counties finds Saint Etienne moving in a more intimate and stripped back direction from their past two rather brilliant albums, Tales from Turnpike House and Words and Music. Rather than being about a suburban towerblock or the art of writing music, this one deals with the suburban areas around London and the different types of characters who inhabit them. Sarah Cracknell is in fine vocal form, and the music is generally rather light and airy, although there are moments of menace, such as the song "Heather". The best UK pop group most Americans have never heard of with 25 years of music behind them already.
17) WAR ON DRUGS--Deeper Understanding
What can one say about War on Drugs that has not been said already? This is another fantastic record as they continue to grow and evolve into what might one day be a massively popular artist. If you like Springsteen at his ballad-y best, this should foot the bill, although there are so many more influences than that. Perfect for driving to as well.
18) LORDE--Melodrama
Lorde took a big chance on her sophomore record, waiting years to release it, and having it met with the lack of a huge hit single like "Royals" (although "Green Light" and its video are amazing), radio seemed to lose interest. And yet, her concerts were very well attended and successful. There is still a chance for this album to find a wider audience, but its very personal nature and general stripped back vibe might make for an album that people respect but don't necessarily love. In any event, it's quite good and deserves more attention.
19) SPARKS--Hippopotamus
Fresh from their Franz Ferdinand collaboration FFS, Sparks go it alone once more with Hippopotamus, one of their best efforts ever. Since their first album nearly 45 years ago, Ron and Russell Mael have been glam rockers, electro geeks, new wave nerds, and classical anarchists. Hippopotamus attempts to bring all of that together in one stew, and for all intents and purposes, it works. If you like catchy songs with a heavy dose of wry humor, this is your band. If you're interested in them, this is actually a good place to start, as they have almost 20 albums to date, and it may be hard to know where to begin.
20) LIAM GALLAGHER--As You Were
It's hard to say exactly where to place this record, because while it is generally enjoyable and probably the best thing Liam Gallagher has done since Oasis' break-up, it is also VERY Oasis-y and self-referential. Noel Gallagher (his brother) also released a very good album about a month later. One can only imagine what their album would have sounded like together (You could always try mixing up the tracks from both to find out), but for us, Liam's album has a slight edge simply by the fact that the tunes are more easily planted in your head, but they are both quite good. No reunion on the horizon though...
21) ST VINCENT--Masseduction
Annie Clark continues to spread her wings as St Vincent, and while this album is a bit all over the place, it also contains some of her most direct and endearing moments on record. It seems as though she's been through a lot emotionally and is channeling a lot of her influences through an ever-expanding electronic sonic palette, alternately using string sections, piano, or fuzzed out guitar textures for contrast. Jack Antonoff (Bleachers) contributed to production duties, and you'll find his hand in many other 2017 albums (like Lorde and Katy Perry's latest).
22) AIMEE MANN--Mental Illness
Aimee Mann has been quietly making records for thirty years, with her biggest splashes being her debut as the lead singer of Til Tuesday with "Voices Carry" and the haunting songwriter who inspired Paul Thomas Anderson's film Magnolia (1999). Mental Illness is Aimee's best album in about a decade, full of some of her most introspective tunes and intimate arrangements from any of her recordings to date, and while some of the songs are pretty, they all have a sense of pain and unease within (hence the album title). She's got melodies worthy of McCartney on display here.
23) CIGARETTES AFTER SEX--Cigarettes After Sex
Another great album and band you may never have heard of, Cigarettes After Sex released their album over the summer that was the perfect soundtrack to those quiet moments, playing like a retro soundtrack to a summer that saw the return of David Lynch's Twin Peaks TV show after a 25 year absence. The show was known for its references to fifties icons, whether a James Dean-like character or patent leather shoes, and this El Paso by way of New York band nails that retro futurism with their sexually ambiguous lead vocals and lyrics that are more than suggestive. There is a certain consistency here that makes one wonder what they'll do for an encore, but in the moment, this was about as perfect a romantic album we could get in an era of Tove Lo's "Disco Tits" (not gonna go there).
24) KENDRICK LAMAR--DAMN.
Kendrick does it again with DAMN, an album that may sound super different than his high water mark, To Pimp a Butterfly, but it's the messages that are important, and in an era of racial unrest and Trump, the message here was loud and clear. There's a reason he is known as a voice of his generation, and DAMN was a good example of that.
25) BECK--Colors
It was two years from the time Beck released the first single from this album ("Dreams") and a year from the second ("Wow"), almost as if he was afraid to release this album or wasn't sure what his audience would make of it. Well, it's actually a rather enjoyable pop record. Granted, you're not going to find anything profound here, but he does a very good job of making an album that can sit snugly next to other pop found on the charts now, yet still retaining enough of his personality to carry it forward. Whether he's sending up Elliott Smith or the Police, Colors is an album that plays well and doesn't outstay its welcome. What next, Mr. Hansen?
26) OMD--The Punishment of Luxury
The brilliant OMD return with their third album since reuniting about a decade ago, and this one goes all in on their love of electronic music. Using their last album, English Electric (2013) as a launching pad, The Punishment of Luxury is even heavier on the synths and general homages to Kraftwerk, and features some very peppy tunes mixed with some rather experimental stuff as well. It's so great to see these guys working together again and still being restlessly creative, even if the sales aren't massive these days. An example for all of us not to give up.
27) PAUL HEATON & JACQUI ABBOTT--Crooked Calypso
Paul & Jacqui (of Beautiful South fame) got back together a few years ago and made an excellent comeback record worthy of their past work, and after a very good follow-up, they are back for a third time. This record goes a little deeper into religion and politics than their other recent efforts, and while the effect may be a tad polarizing, it really doesn't seem to bother them, especially when Paul continues to write such great tunes and lyric material. Heaton is another British national treasure who has gone a bit unsung next to artists such as Morrissey, and he deserves much higher praise (although they do sell a lot of records in their own country).
28) MARK EITZEL--Hey Mr. Ferryman
Mark Eitzel continues to forge a superb body of solo work on the outside of his former band, American Music Club. Hey Mr. Ferryman was actually produced by another legendary band member, Bernard Butler, the original guitarist from Suede, and he gives Mark a bit of a boost in production this time around, as well as some added guitar textures that never get in the way, but support Mark's artistry as a songwriter and singer. One of the best albums this year by someone who has been working for decades that people are generally unaware of. What does it take to get heard?
29) ALISON MOYET--Other
Other follows on Alison's other production with Guy Sigsworth (Frou Frou, Bjork) from 2013, The Minutes. Alison turned a big corner in partnering with Sigsworth, as he knows how to treat a big voice without letting it belt all the time. There are some very dark and tender (and even spoken word) moments on Other, which show Alison as much more of an artist and writer than people tend to give her credit for. These two recent albums will likely be viewed one day as her most impressive offers to date in a 36-year career which began as the singer of Yaz in 1981 ("Only You").
30) BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE--Hug of Thunder
This Canadian collective hadn't made an album in years, and who knew what they were capable of anymore after a couple albums of somewhat diminishing returns. Hug of Thunder is not only one of their best efforts to date, it returns them to the glory of being a musical act to be respected and revered. There are some truly great moments here, and even when featuring artists who have gone on to big careers outside the group (Emily Haines of Metric, Feist), their features are enjoyable and appropriate for the setting. A big win for this band.
OTHER GREAT ALBUMS OF 2017:
31) RYAN ADAMS--Prisoner
32) BLONDIE--Pollinator
33) HAIM--Something to Tell You
34) QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE--Villains
35) DEPECHE MODE--Spirit
36) FOXYGEN--Hang
37) NEW PORNOGRAPHERS--Whiteout Conditions
38) JESUS & MARY CHAIN--Damage & Joy
39) SUFJAN STEVENS--Planetarium
40) GORILLAZ--Humans
41) MARK LANEGAN--Gargoyle
42) BEACH FOSSILS--Somersault
43) BNQT--BNQT
44) JAPANDROIDS--Near to the Wild
45) ROGER WATERS--Is This the Life We Really Want?
46) PHOENIX--Ti Amo
47) CUT COPY--Haiku From Zero
48) COUSTEAUX--Cousteaux
49) KILLERS--Wonderful Wonderful
50) AFGHAN WHIGS--In Spades
And still more:
PERFUME GENIUS--No Shape
PAUL WELLER--Kind Revolution
LUCKY SOUL--Hard Lines
IRON & WINE--Beast Epic
SHOUT OUT LOUDS--Ease My Mind
DUTCH UNCLES--Big Balloon
ERASURE--World be Gone
THE SHINS--Heartworms
DAN AUERBACH--Waiting on a Song
FUTURE ISLANDS--Far Field
BRITISH SEA POWER--Let the Dancers Inherit the Party
MUNA--About U
RIDE--Weather Diaries
FEIST--Pleasure
LAURA MARLING--Semper Femina
ELBOW--Little Fictions
JARVIS COCKER & CHILLY GONZALES--Room 29
MENZINGERS--After the Party
PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART--Echo of Pleasure
NINE INCH NAILS--Add Violence EP
WIRE--Silver/Lead
KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD--Flying Microtonal Banana
PREATURES--Girlhood
NICK HEYWARD--Woodland Echoes
MARC ALMOND--Shadows & Reflections
CLIENTELE--Music for the Age of Miracles
HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR--Omnion
MOUNTAIN GOATS--Goths
RANDY NEWMAN--Dark Matter
SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS--Soul of a Woman
Thanks for reading and for supporting indie stores like ours!
